Sway brace



Nov. 6, 1951" WOOD 2,574,309

SWAY BRACE Filed Aug. 4, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. Jose wk Kaye Wboal BY I ATTO J. K. WOOD Nov. 6, 1951 SWAY BRACE v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1945 W WJ Y m m im f K.

A Jo Patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWAY BRACE Joseph Kaye Wood,.New York, N. Y., assignor to- General-Spring Corporation, New York, N. Y., acorporation of, New York" Application August 4, 1945,,Serial'No. 608,924

I lorGlaims-a,

This invention relates, to. the mounting and steadying. of hotor cold" pipe, lines and: other parts, and moreparticularly to the mounting: and steadying of' pipe lines-through: which steam at high temperature and/or: pressure flows.

Inmany types; of pipehangers, sway; braces and the like which are-adapted to,:support high temperature pipe lines or: other" equipment so as to restrain-vibratory movements butto allow "limited slow movement; e. g., by thermal expansion, the pipe lines areusually'put under spring: load ing insuch manner that there isv at best a sub.- stantial spring loading; on, the pipeline at; the normal operating temperature, and often the hangers areso connected-to the. pipe line that even when the line is: cold: itisunder" spring loading.

A- general object ofthe present invention is" to provide simple coupling, means-between the pipe line-anda support which will. act to release the-pipe from the-restrainingsupportin its cold; condition and to engagethe restraining: support as: the pipe approaches-- its normal-A operating temperature, or has reached it.-

Animportant feature of theinvention is the provision of a coupling, controlled by changes in temperature inthe supported pipe: line, which is soconstructed of materials or difl'erent coefficientsof expansionthatthe;grippingsofi the-parts of-the coupling and their release-may be directly efiected by changes in temperature of the pipe line or other supported device as. transmittedto the coupling itself..

Other objects and important featuresof the invention to, which reference has not! specifically been madehereinabovewill appear hereinafter when the following, description and claimsv are considered in connection with the-accompanyingdrawings.

In this specification and the accompanying drawings 1- have shown and-described a preferred Figure 1'.- shows a: swayr brace cifthe type more? fully: disclosed: in my 'II; S. Farmers; 2,335,8

2 with the coupling of the present invention embodied therein;

Figure 2" is a plan view of a typical pipe line showing both where a swaybrace embodying the present invention may advantageously be used and the means for accommodating in the coupling the relative expansion and contraction of the supporting and'supportedpa-rts, the couplingshown in Figure 2 being of a type shown in greater? detail inthe other figures;

Figure. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly inele-'- vation, partly in section, of a modified coupling. embodying the present invention.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, partly in section, partly inelevation, and with a diagrammatic showing of a heating control circuit;

Figure. 5 is a diagrammatic View showing adifferent heating control circuit;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of another form of." the invention in which the lock releasing means is electrically controlled;

, Figure '7 is a sectional view taken along line If-l, of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is, an enlarged view, partly in section, partly in elevation, with a diagrammatic showing-ofa-condition sensitive element comprising a: resiliently-supported dash-pot and switch con-'- trolling: the actionof an electrical lock releasing. mechanism such-as'is shown in Figure 6.

In Figure 1 of the drawings is shown, forillustrative purposes, a sway brace ofthe typeshown in-myz U. S. Patent No. 2,335,834 having incor--- porated therewith the temperature controlled coupling of the present invention. Asmorefully disclosed in said cO -pending-appl-ication, the swaybrace' lorhere shown comprises atube or cylinder liconnected to the load It, or an'anchorage l6; 6. g.,, abeam on the building which houses the: apparatus; A rod l8-extends through one endof= the cylinder; and, together with the fittingsdescribed: below, completes the connection between the' anchorage and load. This rod is? provided'witli a pistonor'plunger between which i and the 'end'of the cylinder are the compression the pipe i347 from spring-loading. of I the sway brace:

when the pipe moves: to its cold? position as a. result of thermal contraction. This coupling; ,as showninIEigurcf 1", becomes operative 'by-virtue of changes in its temperature brought about by direct conduction of heat thereto from the pipe line, this conduction of heat from the pipe line to the coupling serving in this case to effect gripping of the parts thereof to effect positive connection with the pipe 4, or it may be normally operative to transmit vibrations and may be arranged to be rendered temporarily inoperative by heating means associated therewith, as shown in Figure 3.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, the coupling comprises a sleeve 20, connected in any suitable manner to the piston rod [8 as, for example, by a taper pin 22 driven into a tapered hole through the rod l8 and sleeve 20 and then riveted, i. e., headed, to hold it in place. The

sleeve 20, in the form 01 the invention shown in Figure 1, is made of an alloy of a relatively low coefficient of expansion such, for example, as the alloy sold and well known in the metallurgical trade under the name Invar. Sliding within this sleeve, with a close sliding fit when cold, is a rod 24 of stainless steel, bronze or other suitable material having a coefficient of expansion that is relatively high as compared with the alloy of which the sleeve is made, and advantageously a high thermal conductivity and good corrosion resistance as well as tensile properties obviously required.

The end of the rod 24 within the sleeve '20 is machined and ground to an accurate fit. Its opposite end is formed into a clevis 26 or other suitable connection by which it is secured to the pipe I4 with a good heat conductive relation thereto so that when the pipe I is heated up, heat from the pipe will be conducted to the rod and cause it to expand and thus bring it into gripping, that is, tightly pressed relation with the sleeve 20. The clevis 26, in turn, is tightly bolted to a plate 28 which is welded to the side 01. the pipe, or to a suitable clamp or other connection.

The sleeve and rod, therefore, form a rigid or a close sliding connection between the piston rod l8 and the pipe l4, depending upon the temperature of the pipe. As it expands on heating, the rod 24 will at first slide freely within the sleeve 20, and only as the pipe is heated almost to operating temperature, will the radial expansion of rod 24 produce a rigid engagement with the sleeve.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that, when the pipe [4 cools, the rod 24 will also cool with it and the incidental contraction of the rod, by reason of its relatively high coefiicient of expansion, will release it from the sleeve 20 and therefore from the action of the sway brace II]. The pipe line in its cool condition will thus be free of all spring loading, and will remain so until the pipe is again heated nearly to its operating temperature.

With refrigerant lines the sleeve 20a may be in thermal contact with the pipe and the rod 18a slidable therein, the sleeve having relatively high and the rod relatively low coefi'icient of thermal expansion. This is shown in Figure 3.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 4, the rod 24b may be made of material of relatively low coeflicient of expansion, e. g., Invar, or of ordinary steel. Advantageously the rod itself or its connection to the pipe is of low heat conductivity; for example, I may use the connection shown and described in my prior U. S. Patent e. g., bronze, at least as high in its thermal coefficient of expansion as the rod 2412.

Around the sleeve 20b is provided an electrical heater 30, having heater coils 32 embedded in refractory insulation 34. This heater is controlled manually by switch 42 or automatically by a thermostat 36 on pipe Mb, which acts to close the heater circuit when the pipe [4b reaches or approaches its operating temperature, and a second thermostat 38 which acts to break the heater circuit when rod 24b reaches its operating temperature at a somewhat later time. Preferably the thermostatic switches do not carry the full heater current but act through a relay indicated diagrammatically at 40 in Figure 4. Current is supplied from the power lines 44.

Another modification of the control device is illustrated in Figure 5. In this case the thermostatic switch 360 is designed to close the circuit to connection 50 when the pipe [4c is cold, and to close the circuit through its other contact to the connection 52 when the pipe is hot. The connections 50 and 52 lead to brushes 54 and 56, spaced 135 apart on the rotatable armature 58. A wide brush (e. g. 45 of arc) or twin brushes 65 (spaced 45) take the current from 50 or '52 and are connected in turn to a solenoid 62 which tilts the mercury switch 64 to'close the circuit to heater 32 and also the synchronous timing motor 66.

A cam 61 on the shaft of motor 66 lifts the follower rod 68 against the force of spring 10. At the same time the pawl 12, which is pivotally connected to rod 68 is rotated around a ratchet wheel (not shown) on the shaft of armature 58. When the steep drop on the cam is reached, rod 68 suddenly drops back under influence of the spring and through the pawl 12 and ratchet turns the armature 58 45 so as to connect brush 54 with the metal cross connection and bring brush 56 onto an insulating segment. Thus the solenoid circuit is broken, mercury switch 64 drops back and the heater circuit is again opened.

When the temperature of the pipe drops again to, or approaching, room temperature, thermostat 36 makes contact through its upper relay to connection 50 and brush 54 which will then be on the metallic cross conductor portion of the armature. Thus again the circuit will be closed to the heater 32 until the cam 67 has made its cycle and armature 58 again moved a step forward.

Thus with each radical change of temperature of the pipe l4c heater 32 is energized, sleeve 20b expanded long enough to permit readjustment to relieve strain, and then as the heating ceases and the rod 24b and sleeve 20b come to approximately the same temperature, once more the rod is gripped by the sleeve and the pipe thereby supported against undesirable swing and vibration.

In Figures 6 and 7 is' shown a toothed connection adapted to be used in lieu of the shrink-engaging connections of Figures 1-5. In this case the rod 24d attached to the pipe carries a solenoid 15 the plunger of which is connected to parallel bell cranks I6 and 11 each pivoted on the rod 24d and each carrying a roller 18. The bottom of the rod 24d is toothed as shown to engage the correspondingly toothed rack on the top of rod l8d. Yokes 82 are welded on the rod 24d and extend over the sides of rod Hid. Bearing plates 84 fit onto the yokes 82 and are pressed against rod |8d by springs 86 which extend through slits in the yokes 82. These springs are of sufflcient stiffness to hold the rods 24d and IM engaged against all normal forces of vibration aimpna i. and inertia, but are; adapted? tcx be: deflected. bya pulliof solenoid"lfizonb'elllcrankslfi and": The bearing. faces. of; plates 84- and rod: [8d are of: a characterrandso lubricated as to: slide; readily for readjustment to: relieve accumulated stresses when. the toothed racks are disengaged.

In: use the mechanism of Figures 6 and. 7 may be combined: with. that of Figure? 5,.the solenoid l5 replacing heater 32 in the. circuit Or, as: shownnin Figure 8, the solenoid may be: controlled by a: switch which senses: driftof. the: apparatus away from: its current mean-orrelaxed position:v Thislatter type-is particularly important for use with devices which exhibit a sharp change of load/deflection rateat such'mean' position, e; g. as described and claimed inmyprior" U. 8-. Patents? 2,421,822,, 2,420,276; and 2,437 631.

In Figure 8, the non-resonant steadying; device asdisclosed-in my said U. S. Patent. 2,421,822.. is. shown diagrammatically at we: To-ione-endof the cylinder is aiiixed a spring arm Y92 and a similar armSd is afiixed to a collar 95.0ntherod 18c. A small dashpot 96- connected between: these spring arms92 and. 94 smooths out vibratory and momentary movements'cf the pipe:

Mercury switch 91 is mounted on. the dashpot cylinder by meansof a spring; hinge 9.8 which normally. holds itin the positionshown. Roller 99 on. the hinged holder I90 for'thesw-itch 91 rides on a cam I52 connected-to the plunger'rod I03 of: dashpot 96.

Switch 91is connected. in the circuitof solenoid 15 which operatesbell cranks 1B and 'l-l-to release theraclrs 24e-89 as'already described. in connection with Figuresad and- 7.

In operation vibratory movements. of the pipe are accommodated in and clamped. by the sway brace tile as fully described inmy U. S; Patent 2,420,276. Dashpot 96 further resists-suchmovementsso that they are largely absorbed in the spring arms 92 and 94 and what little movement occurs between cam H32 and.roller"99 is accommodated by the dwell M5 on. the came. If a significant movement occurs-as by thermal expans ion or contraction or increased loading, etc.the cam m2 will move beyond dwell I05 and will tilt the switch 91 so as to close the circuit of solenoid l5, which releases the racks 24c. and 80? and. allows the spring )8 in the sway brace l fleto reset the parts to neutral position; In such neutral position theroller 99 will again beat the center. of dwell I05 and therefore the mercury switch 91 will again be raised to break the circuit of solenoid l5 and the racks 24e-89 will again be locked together.

The springs 9294 and the dashpot 96 may, if desired, be omitted and the parts 9'll02 may be connected directly to the sway brace We and its plunger rod l8e, or to any other parts connected thereto, but in that case, the dwell I95 of cam member I62 will be lengthened to the scope of normal movements in the sway brace Hie.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the invention provides simple and effective means for insuring positive connection between steam piping and a hanger, such as shown in Figure 1, when the system is heated up and for relieving the piping of any spring loading that otherwise might be imposed upon it by the hanger when the system has cooled off.

I claim:

1. A sway brace for piping comprising, in combination, means for so connecting said piping to a fixed support that, when the piping is at operatingtemperature, it islield against oscillatory movements, said connecting means. comprising: a rod; and-sleeve coupling having a shrink-engagement, and, means; forheating one of the parts of. saidcoupling so-as to cause it to expand away from the other part upon a substantial temperature change: in said piping, whereby stresses in the piping; due to thermal. changes are relieved by a disconnection thereof so that the piping isnot: overstressed.

2;- A sway bracezforpiping comprising, in combination, a spring, means for so connecting said spring,- tothe piping, to be braced and to a fixed support that;. when the. piping is at operating temperature,, it. issubjected to spring loading, said? connecting means comprising a rodv and sleevecouplinghav-ing a shrink-engagement, oneof, the parts of said coupling being made. of ma-- terial' of a" low'coefficient of expansion and the other partof: material of a relatively higher 00- efiicient of; expansion so that a substantial temperature' change in said coupling can efiect a gripping of saidparts, and coupling temperature. control-ling connections between said piping and said two-part coupling, whereby change of temperature-of the piping to the operating range ins-uresa gripping of the parts of said coupling and a-change to thetemperature of the idle piping effects a. disconnection thereof so that the piping is not subjected to spring loading when it is idle.v

3. A sway brace according to. claim 2 in which the rod is of material of a relatively high coefficient of. expansion and thesleeve isof material .of: a relatively low coefiicient of expansion and in which the-- rod is, in heat conductive relation to.-

the piping.

4. A; sway brace according to claim 2 in which the: sleeve is of material of a relatively'high coefficient of: expansion, the rod of material of a:-

relatively: low coeflicient of expansion and the relative dimensions are such that the sleeve has? a shrink flt'engagement with the rod when. cold,

means being provided for heating said sleeve and:

a thermostaticv control for said heating, means beingsoconnected to the piping to be supported.

that itlacts to render said heating means operativevwhensaidpipe; is cold andinoperative When it is-hot.

5. A device forsteadying against vibration, in-

' ertial forces and-the like, an apparatus subject also. during limited periods: to slower or per:- sistent. movements in one direction or another, which comprises overlapping connecting elements through which the steadying force is transmitted, a condition sensitive element responsive to a condition indicative of the presence of said slow or persistent movement, and a releasable locking mechanism under the control of said condition sensitive element arranged normally to lock together said elements and to release said elements when said persistent movement relative to the locked position of said elements exceeds a predetermined amount whereby said elements are connected for transmission therebetween of said steadying force during normal operation but are released to permit free adjustment between said elements for accommodating said slow normal movement during said limited periods.

6. A device for steadying against vibration, inertial forces and the like, an apparatus subject also to slower or persistent forces or movements toward one side or the other of the current mean of said vibratory movements or inertial forces, which comprises a condition sensitive element responsive to said slower or persistent forces or movements, overlapping connecting members through which the steadying force is transmitted, one of said members being connected to said apparatus and the other to an anchorage, a releasable look under control of said condition sensitive element and connected to said other member, said lock normally securing said members together for transmission of said steadying force and being arranged upon shifting of the mean position of said apparatus to release said members until accumulated stresses are substantially relieved.

'7. A device for steadying against vibration, inertial forces and the like. an apparatus subject also to slower or persistent movements toward one side or the other of the current mean of said vibratory or inertial movements, which comprises overlapping connecting members through which the steadying force is transmitted, one of said members being connected to said apparatus and the other being connected to an anchorage and one of said members including non-harmonic spring means adapted to accommodate oscillatory movements by resilient deflection, a releasable lock normally securing said members together for transmission of said steadying force, and a lockreleasing mechanism responsive to shifting of the mean position of said apparatus arranged to release said lock until accumulated stresses are substantially relieved.

8. A device for steadying against vibratory movements, inertial forces and the like, an apparatus subject also to slower or persistent movements toward one side or the other of the current mean of said vibratory or inertial movements, which comprises overlapping connecting members through which the steadying force is transmitted, one of said members being connected to said apparatus and the other being connected to an anchorage and one of said members including nonharmonic spring means adapted to accommodate oscillatory movements by resilient deflection, a releasable clamp normally securing said members together for transmission of said steadying force, and a clamp-releasing mechanism responsive to shifting of the mean position in said non-harmonic spring means arranged to release said clamp until said spring means is substantially restored to its said mean position.

9. A device for steadying against vibration, inertial, and like movements, an apparatus subject also to slower or persistent forces or movements toward one side or the other of the current mean of said vibratory or inertial movements, which comprises overlapping connecting members through which the steadying force is transmitted, one of said members being connected to said apparatus and the other being connected to an anchorage and the former including non-harmonic spring means adapted to accommodate oscillatory movements by resilient deflection, a releasable clamp normally securing said members together for transmission of said steadying force, and a clamp-releasing mechanism responsive to shifting of the mean position in said non-harmonic spring means arranged to release said releasable means until said spring means is substantially restored to its said mean position.

10. A device for steadying against vibration, inertial forces, and the like, an apparatus subject also to slower or persistent movements toward one side or the other of the current mean of said vibratory or inertial forces or movements, which comprises overlapping connecting members through which the steadying force is transmitted, one of said members being connected to said apparatus and the other being connected to an anchorage and one of said members including nonharmonic spring means adapted to accommodate oscillatory movements by resilient deflection, and to change abruptly its load/deflection rate at substantially the point at which it comes to rest when said apparatus is not subjected to said vibratory or inertial forces, a releasable lock normally securing said members together for transmission of said steadying force, and a lock-releasing mechanism responsive to shifting of the mean position in said non-harmonic spring means arranged to release said releasable lock until said spring means is substantially restored to its said mean position.

JOSEPH KAYE WOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,021,413 Gille Nov. 19, 1935 2,248,730 Wood July 8, 1941 2,335,834 Wood Nov. 30, 1943 2,421,822 Wood June 10, 1947 

